The baseline characteristics of the two cohorts were compared, the patients group showed lower eGFR and an increase of UACR, RRI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum creatinine, urea, uric acid, cystatin C and urinary β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) concentrations along with DKD severity (Supplementary Table 2). This evidence concerns the gene CST3 and diabetic kidney disease.